Shiitake mushroom useful properties and contraindications. Shiitake mushroom medicinal properties

Shiitake (shiitake, lentinula) is an edible mushroom that grows in Japan and China. The name "shiitake" comes from the name of the tree "shia" and the Japanese word "take" meaning "mushroom".

Description

Shiitake belongs to the species of woody agaric mushrooms. Shiitake is distinguished by a large cap of a hemispherical convex shape, reaching a diameter of 5-20 cm. The color of the cap is brown, it can vary from the lightest to the darkest shades, depending on the age of the mushrooms. Shiitake plates are even, painted in white or light beige. In young representatives of the species, the plates are covered with the thinnest protective film-membrane. The stem of the fungus is even, tends to taper closer to the base. Shiitake pulp has a "fleshy" structure and has a pleasant aroma, characteristic of all mushrooms of this species. Shiitake grows singly on the trunks of dead deciduous trees or stumps formed after deforestation or fire. Under artificial conditions, wood logs or sawdust become the basis for growing mushrooms.

Shiitake mushrooms have numerous health benefits. Mushrooms have been used not only in traditional medicine of the countries of the East, but also in cooking, being an excellent source of fiber and valuable protein. In Eastern cuisine, mushrooms are used to make soups, sauces, salads and even drinks.

Taxonomy of shiitake mushrooms

Shiitake (Latin name: Lentinula edodes) is a species of the genus Lentinula of the Marasmiaceae family.

Geography of distribution of shiitake

The homeland of shiitake is Japan, Korea and China, but at present mushrooms are actively cultivated all over the world, including in Russia. On the territory of our country, in natural conditions, shiitake can be found in the Primorsky Territory.

Chemical composition

Mushrooms contain many vitamins necessary for the functioning of the human body. Shiitake mushrooms are especially rich in vitamin D. In wild-harvested mushrooms, the level of this vitamin is several times higher than in cod liver, which is traditionally considered one of the richest sources of vitamin D.

Numerous useful trace elements, amino acids, fatty acids, polysaccharides, phytoncides and coenzyme Q10 have been found in tree mushrooms. The polysaccharide lentinan, also present in the chemical composition of shiitake, forms biologically active substances, which, according to the latest scientific research, can effectively fight cancer cells.

Beneficial features

Japanese mushrooms have unique medicinal properties. Shiitake contains polysaccharides that are involved in the process of synthesizing interferons in the human body - proteins that help fight viruses and strengthen the immune system.

The use of shiitake in food helps to effectively lower blood cholesterol levels, cleanse blood vessels and minimize the risk of developing blood clots. The mushroom helps in the fight against tumor processes, which makes it an effective tool for the treatment of cancer.

The components of shiitake have an antiviral and antifungal effect on the skin, which makes it possible to use shiitake for the treatment of fungal diseases caused by various types of pathogens.

The fungus stimulates the excretory function of the intestine, accelerates the healing of gastric wounds and prevents the formation of new ulcers.

Shiitake has long been used in oriental medicine to treat sexual dysfunction in men. The mushroom is actively used to increase sexual desire and solve a number of medical problems.

Shiitake is also used as a diet for weight loss or are part of special preparations. Substances contained in mushrooms normalize carbohydrate metabolism and promote the formation of fat-burning enzymes.

In the countries of the East, with the help of tree mushrooms, many diseases that are difficult to treat with drug therapy, including diabetes mellitus, are cured. Mushroom-based infusions have a strengthening effect on the nervous system and allow you to get rid of stress. Eating shiitake in food helps to get rid of toxins and toxins.

Application of shiitake

Shiitake is one of the most valuable types of medicinal mushrooms. Shiitake has antiviral, immunostimulating, antitumor and oncoprotective properties. The mushroom has pronounced therapeutic properties, due to which it has found wide application in traditional medicine and pharmacology.

In the process of heat treatment, the mushroom loses its beneficial properties. Medical applications require the use of shiitake powder or liquid concentrate.

Shiitake in medicine

Shiitake found its main use in traditional medicine of the countries of the East - Japan, Korea and China. The ways of eating the mushroom in Russia are completely borrowed from Eastern practices.

Shiitake against viral diseases

The medicinal properties of shiitake have proven to be effective in the fight against viral diseases. Shiitake contains volatile compounds that can effectively fight any kind of virus - from viruses that cause a runny nose, to hepatitis viruses and even AIDS. In particular, certain substances found in shiitake help protect the liver from aggressive drug treatment, chemotherapy, and the ingestion of large doses of alcohol.

Adding mushroom-based drugs to viral disease treatment programs significantly increases their effectiveness, activating the internal resources of the body and thereby reducing the duration of treatment. The use of shiitake is possible not only with an existing disease, but also as a prophylactic drug.

Shiitake wine against flu

Use dry extract of edible mushrooms. Three tablespoons of the powder must be poured with half a liter of high-quality Cahors and infused in a dark and cool place for two weeks. With SARS, it is necessary to take wine tincture twice a day, 1 teaspoon before meals. The course of treatment is 7-10 days. To prevent the disease during epidemics, it is necessary to drink a teaspoon of shiitake wine before going to bed.

Shiitake against cancer

Mushrooms contain otoprotective substances that have antitumor and antioxidant effects on the body and stimulate the human immune system. The use of shiitake in the early stages of cancer can stop the process of changing healthy cells and significantly increase the body's resistance.

That is why shiitake is widely used in Japan to stop tumor processes, as a supportive agent throughout the course of chemotherapy and to prevent cancer recurrence after surgery.

Shiitake tincture against cancer

For a healing tincture, you need to mix about half a liter of vodka or 40-degree medical alcohol with 70 grams of shiitake powder. Store the infusion in a glass container with a lid for 14 days, away from sources of heat and bright light. After the expiration of the drug is filtered. Take the tincture in the morning and evening on an empty stomach. The duration of the course is a month. After a two-week break, the reception can be resumed.

Shiitake against atherosclerosis

The medicinal properties of shiitake allow the use of the mushroom in the treatment of atherosclerosis. The amino acid eritadenine contained in mushrooms helps to reduce the concentration of cholesterol, accelerating the utilization of lipoproteins and preventing their accumulation on the walls of blood vessels. In addition, mushrooms can be used to treat diseases also caused by an excessive concentration of bad cholesterol: hypertension, coronary disease, thrombosis and diabetes. For the treatment and prevention of the development of these diseases, it is recommended to take shiitake in the form of tincture.

Shiitake spirit tincture

To prepare the product, shiitake powder, a 40-degree alcohol-containing drink (cognac or vodka) and sealed glass containers are used. Dry extract of mushrooms in the amount of 10 g (about 6 teaspoons) is poured with half a liter of liquid, after which the dishes with the resulting infusion are removed in a dark, cool place for two weeks. At the end of this period, the resulting infusion is filtered. Shiitake medicine should be taken in a teaspoon 40 minutes before a meal. The frequency of admission is twice a day - in the morning before breakfast and at night before bedtime. You can drink the medicine for a month. The course can be repeated by taking a week break.

Shiitake in cosmetology

Products based on shiitake concentrate are used in cosmetology to improve the condition of the skin and hair. For the first time, the beneficial effect of the fungus was noted in ancient China. When the mushroom extract is added to the composition of care products, the skin becomes softer, more elastic and dense, due to which fine wrinkles are smoothed out.

Mask for getting rid of wrinkles

It is necessary to mix dry shiitake extract in the amount of two tablespoons with two tablespoons of fatty cottage cheese and a tablespoon of freshly prepared carrot juice. All ingredients must be combined, after which the resulting mixture must be applied to the skin of the face and neck for 15-20 minutes, and then rinsed with warm water and patted dry with a soft towel.

Such a tool makes the skin softer, smoothes wrinkles and nourishes the upper layer of the epidermis with useful substances.

food industry

Shiitake have excellent taste and have numerous health benefits. All parts of the mushroom have been used in cooking. Shiitake is sold not only fresh, but also dried. In the second case, before cooking, the mushroom is soaked in warm water. Fresh shiitake is consumed both fried and boiled and raw. The mushroom has a specific, radish-like taste, which only intensifies after heat treatment.

Tree mushrooms are a rich source of protein and vitamins. At the same time, they have a minimum calorie content: 100 g of mushrooms contain only 34 kilocalories. Shiitake can be safely used in the diet of losing weight.

Shiitake dishes are very popular in East Asian cuisine. Mushrooms are part of many dishes and go well with rice, pasta, vegetables and all types of meat and seafood. On the basis of mushrooms, not only first and second courses are prepared, but also desserts - lollipops, yogurts and drinks.

Research scientists

The healing properties of shiitake mushrooms have been known in the East for many centuries. Numerous traditional medicine recipes attribute unique beneficial properties to mushrooms. The use of the fungus is indicated for viral diseases, diseases of the heart and blood vessels, diseases of the digestive system, obesity and oncology.

The antitumor effect of mushrooms was proven in 1969 by the Japanese oncologist Tetsuro Ikekawa. The polysaccharides found by him in the composition of mushrooms have a pronounced antitumor effect, having a devastating effect on cancer cells, while at the same time reducing the negative effect of chemotherapy on healthy cells of the body.

In the course of research, a component previously unknown to science was discovered - the substance lentinan, named after the Latin name shiitake. This substance, even in small doses, has a powerful effect on tumor processes. In Japan, anti-cancer drugs based on shiitake are officially recognized by medicine.

The medicinal properties of shiitake in the fight against diseases of the heart and blood vessels were proven in the course of an experiment conducted in 1988 in the USSR at the Research Center for Cardiology of the USSR and the Institute of Nutrition of the Academy of Medical Sciences. According to the study, the use of shiitake lowers cholesterol levels, reduces the risk of blood clots and prevents the development of complications characteristic of heart disease.

Growing at home

Shiitake has valuable beneficial properties for humans. The use of the mushroom in folk medicine and cooking has led to widespread use around the world. Shiitake is grown not only on an industrial scale, but also at home.

Japanese mushrooms are grown in two ways - by sowing the mycelium in a sterilized sawdust-chip mixture or growing on recently cut tree trunks. The temperature regime is important for the germination of mushrooms. The optimum air temperature should be in the range of 25-27 degrees. Mushrooms grow well in a humid environment and with sufficient light levels.

How to care for mushrooms

Shiitake care includes daily watering, which should be especially intense during germination and weight gain. Shiitake is harvested with a knife. With proper care, up to six crops can be harvested per year.

Contraindications

Shiitake is known as a mushroom that has unique health benefits. The use of shiitake is not always recommended. So, absolute contraindications are:

• Allergy;
• Bronchial asthma;
• Childhood;
• Pregnancy and lactation.

Before you start treatment with shiitake mushrooms, you must obtain a doctor's permission. It is necessary to take shiitake-based products in accordance with the recommended dosage.

Shiitake tree mushrooms were known in the East as an effective remedy for many diseases and were highly valued for their taste.

Interesting references to shiitake have survived to this day:

• It is believed that the first officially recorded mention of mushrooms is contained in ancient Chinese manuscript sources, which date back approximately to 199 BC;
• The shiitake mushroom is widely distributed in Japan. Throughout the world, shiitake is often called the Japanese mushroom, despite the fact that it also grows in Korea and China. And in the Land of the Rising Sun itself, shiitake was called the "imperial mushroom";
• Shiitake naturally grows only in wild forests. The favorite habitat of the fungus is chestnut trees, but shiitake also grows well on maples, oaks and other types of trees. As a rule, mushrooms "choose" stumps, broken and fallen trunks;
• It is interesting that the medical properties that make the mushroom so popular, shiitake acquire only in natural conditions. When buying cheap mushrooms from ordinary greenhouses, you should not count on a high content of useful substances in the bottom;
• They learned to grow shiitake in artificial conditions only in the middle of the last century. Until that time, all attempts to create mushroom farms failed, because shiitake is very demanding on the conditions of detention and the quality of the basis for growth;
• Shiitake is studied by science. In total, about 40,000 research papers have been published in the world, which reveal the amazing beneficial properties of the fungus and its effectiveness in treating a wide range of diseases.

Shiitake mushrooms are valuable and useful mushrooms with unique beneficial properties, which every year find new applications in medicine, pharmacology and the cosmetology industry.

see also

Our nature has given us many of the most unique products that can help us in a variety of life situations. A person can live quite safely, using only natural gifts, and completely without resorting to chemical products. Many plant substances are an excellent competitor to pharmaceutical products, and help to cope with even fairly complex health disorders. One of the unique natural gifts of nature is a mushroom called shiitake. Let's talk about how the shiitake mushroom is used, consider the preparation of potions from it.

Shiitake has a rather interesting taste, which is something between the taste of porcini mushroom and champignon. It has in its composition a mass of protein, a complete list of amino acids. Of particular value to this mushroom is the complete absence of cholesterol in its composition, as well as a unique and well-balanced list of components. That is why such a product is rightly considered an expensive delicacy. If you want to consume it as a preventative rather than a cure, you can use it uncooked in salads.

Experts have come to the conclusion that eating shiitake helps to enhance the effect of consumed drugs. It effectively fights various ailments and makes medicines do the same. At the same time, a substance called lentinan, which is part of shiitake, is effectively engaged in the elimination of viruses.

Is it possible to improve health by using shiitake mushroom? Treatment

Such a mushroom quite effectively copes with tumor formations, both benign and malignant, and it can also help in the elimination of leukemia. It is used in the treatment of allergic ailments, and all sorts of liver problems, including hepatitis and cirrhosis. Healers claim that shiitake copes remarkably with diseases of the respiratory tract, eliminates ulcerative lesions in the digestive tract, and also treats hypertension well.

In addition, the therapeutic qualities of this gift of nature help to remove "bad" cholesterol, toxins and heavy metals from the body. Such a mushroom effectively enhances weak blood circulation, lowers blood sugar levels and stimulates the synthesis of insulin. It is believed that shiitake is able to slow down the aging process and increase vitality. It is strongly recommended to be consumed by vegetarians in order to saturate the body with certain substances that are present in insufficient quantities in plant foods.

How to take the strength that stock shiitake mushroom? Application and preparation of drugs

For the prevention and treatment of various ailments, it is customary to use a tincture based on shiitake powder. Also, many experts say that the powder itself is effective if consumed in minimal doses.

So to cope with hypertension, it is worth combining ten grams of such a powder with half a liter of vodka. Infuse this composition for two weeks. It is best to infuse at room temperature, shaking such a remedy from time to time.

The resulting medicine should be consumed twice a day about half an hour before a meal in the amount of one tablespoon. The duration of such therapy should be one month, after which it is advisable to take a break for a couple of weeks and repeat the reception. The optimal duration of the general course of treatment should be one year, and the minimum - six months.

For the same purpose, you can also use an infusion based on shiitake powder. Half a gram of powder should be combined with one hundred and fifty to two hundred milliliters of cool, pre-boiled water. Infuse the remedy for eight to ten hours, then mix well. Consume the prepared composition in a third of a glass about half an hour before a meal, repeat the intake three times a day.

To prevent and treat oncological ailments, it is worth taking thirty-three grams of shiitake mushroom powder and combining them with half a liter of vodka. Move such a remedy to a dark enough place for infusion and soak for two weeks. Remember to shake the medicine from time to time. The resulting composition should be consumed in a tablespoon three times a day about forty minutes before a meal. Fifteen to twenty minutes after taking the tincture, you need to consume the powder - in the amount of a teaspoon from one to three times a day. For a full adaptation of the body, you can start taking a smaller amount. The duration of therapy in this case should be one month, after which it is worth taking a break for two weeks. The total duration of treatment can vary from six months to a year.

For the treatment and prevention of stomach ulcers, impotence, as well as problems with the immune system, it is worth taking one teaspoon one to three times a day about forty minutes before a meal, and also immediately before a night's rest. The duration of one course is one month, then they take a break for two weeks. The total duration of the correction, as in previous cases, ranges from six months to a year.

It is worth considering that the use of shiitake is not possible during the period of bearing a child, as well as during breastfeeding. You also need to remember that it can cause allergic reactions, which are also a contraindication to such treatment.

Therapy using shiitake is strongly recommended to coordinate with the attending physician.

Increasingly, in our supermarkets you can find such a curiosity as shiitake mushrooms. Dishes from this product are in demand in the most expensive restaurants. And folk healers, nutritionists and cosmetologists vied with each other about the beneficial properties of the plant. In the article, we will find out what such a mushroom is, where it comes from, learn about the beneficial properties and contraindications for use, share culinary recipes. And also we will reveal the secrets of some folk medicines based on this plant.

Chinese mushroom: description

The name shiitake literally means "a mushroom growing on a shii (chestnut) tree." It is in this way that it grows in its natural environment - on a tree trunk or stumps. You can meet the plant not only in China, but also in Japan.

It has been used in Chinese medicine for centuries. Letters dating back to 199 have been found, in which the healing properties of this mushroom are indicated. Eastern emperors believed that shiitake gives them strength, youth, and protects them from diseases. Therefore, the plant is also called the "imperial mushroom" or "elixir of youth."

Shiitake - mushrooms (the photo of the wild plant below confirms this), which do not look very attractive.

cultivation

Shiitake is one of the few mushrooms that people began to grow artificially. They invented an effective method of cultivating the mushroom on logs in 1940. Thus, shiitake does not lose its healing properties, retains all the beneficial substances. Therefore, this method of growing under artificial conditions is still used today. But there is another method - mushrooms are cultivated on sawdust. This method reduces the healing properties of the plant. In addition, selection processes that have enriched the taste of mushrooms and increased yields have led to a significant decrease in the composition of the Chinese mushroom of nutrients.

In almost all countries of the world, including Russia, shiitake (mushrooms) are cultivated. Photos of artificial growing conditions can be seen below.

Mushroom Composition

Particular attention is drawn to the composition of shiitake. It is in it that the secret of its healing properties lies. The composition includes:

• macroelements: sodium, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium;
• trace elements: zinc, copper, iron, selenium, manganese;
• vitamins: groups B, D, PP, C, A;
• amino acids: lysine, arginine, leucine, phenylalanine, methionine, tyrosine, alanine, glycine, glutamic and aspartic;
• fatty acid;
• polysaccharides;
• ash;
• alimentary fiber;
• coenzymes.

Despite the large number of beneficial substances that shiitake mushrooms contain, the benefits and harms of the plant have not been fully studied. Therefore, excessive use of the plant can lead to unforeseen reactions of the body.

Chinese mushroom from diseases

Since ancient times, the mushroom has been widely used to eliminate various ailments. It is not for nothing that in oriental medicine doctors very often prescribe remedies that include shiitake mushrooms. The benefit of the plant lies in its composition. So, thanks to biologically active substances with regular and proper use, you can be cured or significantly improve the patient's condition with the following ailments and conditions:

• hypertension;
• viral infections;
• hematopoietic disorders;
• problems with blood vessels and cardiac activity;
• neurological and autoimmune diseases;
• prolonged stress and depression;
• overweight;
• problems in the sexual sphere;
• dermatological diseases and aesthetic defects of the skin;
• oncological diseases and benign tumors of various origins.

Despite all the beneficial properties of shiitake, its excessive or improper use can provoke poisoning or an allergic reaction. In addition, this plant should not be used by pregnant and lactating women, children under 14 years of age, as well as people prone to allergies and patients with bronchial asthma.

Application in cooking

It is difficult to imagine Asian cuisine without the traditional shiitake. The mushroom is added to sauces, broths, marinades, served as a side dish and as a main course. Dishes with Chinese mushroom are also loved in Russia. A pronounced taste with a small spiciness will add originality and sophistication to any, even the simplest dish. We offer you a recipe for shiitake noodles. It is very simple and quick to prepare:

1. Prepare vegetables: chili peppers, garlic and ginger, peel and chop shiitake mushrooms.
2. Sauté mushrooms in vegetable oil over high heat. Add pepper, garlic, ginger, sweat everything a little.
3. Boil the noodles. Rice will be the most suitable option for this dish, but in its absence, you can use any other.
4. Now prepare the sauce. To do this, mix ingredients such as soy sauce, a little vinegar (preferably apple or rice), chili sauce and vegetable oil.
5. The point is small - mix mushrooms with noodles and pour sauce over everything. The dish is ready to serve!
6. By adding or changing the main ingredients, you can prepare a completely new dish: seafood, pieces of fried chicken fillet or marinated veal will radically change the taste of shiitake noodles.

On the territory of our country, dried Chinese shiitake mushrooms are more often used in cooking. To use in a dish, you must first soak them in water for 8-10 hours. This storage method, such as drying, retains the maximum amount of nutrients in the mushroom. Using a Chinese mushroom in cooking, it should be borne in mind that when exposed to high temperatures, the nutritional and healing properties of the plant are sharply reduced, so heat treatment should be minimal and short-lived.

mushroom cosmetics

Shiitake mushroom is also used in cosmetology. The properties of the plant lie in the ability to moisturize, nourish, tone, improve skin elasticity, as well as whiten and eliminate excessive pigmentation. It is noted that the substance lentinan, which is part of the fungus, has a rejuvenating effect, and coenzyme Q10 nourishes cells with oxygen and removes impurities. In addition, the polysaccharides, vitamins and microelements that make up the fungus also contribute to improving the condition of the skin: accelerating the metabolism in cells, saturating them with water, regeneration, and also have an antimicrobial effect.

Many popular manufacturers of cosmetics began to produce preparations based on mushroom extracts. So, for example, in 2002, Yves Rocher launched a whole line of skin care products for women over 40.

At home, you can prepare a decoction or alcohol tincture using shiitake mushrooms. You can use such products as lotions for the skin of the face and body, lotions for the eyes, hair rinse. Suitable for oily, porous, problematic skin. With the help of mushroom extract cosmetics, you can eliminate skin pigmentation, reduce wrinkles, and tighten the oval of the face.

Chinese mushroom in folk medicine

In folk medicine, shiitake mushrooms are used for many diseases. We offer several such recipes:

1. To increase immunity, eliminate nervous strain, reduce the manifestation of stress and problems in sexual life, dry mushroom powder is used. You need to apply it in a teaspoon three times a day before meals for a month.
2. In folk medicine, shiitake alcohol tincture is believed to help prevent cancer. To make such a product, you need to mix 50 grams of dry mushroom powder with 0.75 liters of forty-degree high-quality vodka. You need to insist in a glass dish in the refrigerator for a month. The method of use is the same as in the first case.
3. From hypertension and infectious diseases, this recipe is recommended: dissolve 10 grams of mushroom powder in olive oil heated in a water bath to 37 degrees. Infuse for a month in the refrigerator. Take a teaspoon before breakfast and dinner.

Mushroom medicines

In pharmacies or homeopathic stores, you can buy various preparations from the Chinese mushroom. Most often, dry powder is used, and then various vitamins and trace elements are added. Apply such funds both externally and orally. The spectrum of action of drugs is wide: from acne to a malignant tumor. You can name the following means: shiitake mushroom in capsules, tablets "Shiitake", "Shiitake 30". They contain crushed dried shiitake mushroom. Reviews of such drugs are contradictory. They are quite expensive, but in fact they are only biologically active food additives, and the effectiveness of such drugs has not been fully investigated.

Shiitake mushrooms are a tasty and healthy product. Use it in cooking to the delight of households and guests, you can treat yourself to a nourishing mask or a refreshing tonic. But it’s still not worth counting on miraculous healing from all diseases thanks to this plant. If you are concerned about health problems, it is much more effective to seek help from a doctor.

Shiitake mushroom is known all over the world. It has wonderful taste. But above all, this mushroom is valued for its amazing medicinal properties. Scientists from different countries are exploring the healing properties of shiitake and confirm its effectiveness in the treatment of many diseases, including cancer. What are the benefits and harms of this mushroom?

The composition and beneficial properties of the mushroom

Shiitake has been used as a medicine in oriental medicine for thousands of years. Today, this valuable mushroom is gaining popularity in Russia.

Shiitake has numerous medicinal properties. This is due to its rich composition. The following elements were found in the mushroom:

• water;
• proteins;
• sodium;
• ash;
• campesterol;
• nonessential amino acids: glutamine, cysteine, glycine, aspartic, etc.;
• essential amino acids: lysine, cystine, arginine, tryptophan, trenin, valine, etc.;
• fats;
• carbohydrates;
• iron;
• polysaccharides;
• chitin;
• cellulose;
• calcium;
• alimentary fiber;
• potassium;
• vitamins: B1, B2, B4, B5, B6, B9, D, PP, C, E, A;
• magnesium;
• phosphorus;
• coenzyme Q10.

Shiitake: benefits and harms - video

Beneficial features

Shiitake has a very broad spectrum of action. The fungus exhibits antiviral, immunomodulatory (brings immunity back to normal) properties. In addition, he:

• lowers cholesterol levels;
• improves blood circulation;
• lowers blood pressure;
• increases potency;
• fights inflammation;
• cleanses the blood;
• increases the elasticity of blood vessels;
• restores the body after serious illnesses and surgery;
• fights pathogens;
• weakens the side effects of radiation and chemotherapy;
• has an antioxidant effect.

Nowadays, shiitake is actively used in medicine for the treatment of numerous diseases. Among them are the following:

• oncological;
• eye;
• skin;
• nervous system;
• diseases of the gastrointestinal tract;
• haemorrhoids;
• gout;
• bronchitis;
• polyarthritis;
• adenoma and prostatitis;
• multiple sclerosis;
• diabetes;
• fibrocystic breast disease;
• HIV and AIDS;
• hepatitis;
• chronic fatigue syndrome.

Shiitake polysaccharides (especially lentinan) strengthen the immune system, which gives the mushroom very valuable medicinal properties. They are used in the complex therapy of viral and oncological diseases. These substances do not affect the cancer itself, but the immune system fights it.

Some believe that shiitake is the most active and powerful of all anti-cancer herbal medicines known to modern medical science. But this mushroom is not a panacea. He is unable to cure any disease.

Shiitake - plant catalyst: a substance that speeds up chemical reactions. It enhances the effect of drugs, their effectiveness.

Shiitake is a component of many cosmetic products. For example, creams. Their use makes the skin radiant, more elastic. According to skin care expert Nora Traviss, the kojic acid in shiitake helps to tighten the skin.

The content of vitamins depends on the methods of cultivation and processing. Wood shiitake in Japan cost ten times more than those grown on sawdust. How to choose the best mushrooms when buying? A bag of shiitake mushrooms grown in the natural environment contains mushrooms of different shapes, sizes and colors. They have short legs. Mushrooms obtained under artificial conditions have the same conical shape, pale color and markings. Yellowed mushrooms with broken caps and an ammonia smell should be avoided.

Shiitake mushrooms, reishi: how to grow at home - video

Application in medicine

For medicinal purposes, it is best to buy mushrooms grown in China or Japan. It is their composition that most closely matches the composition of those shiitake mushrooms that were grown by nature itself and have been used in oriental medicine since ancient times.

If you yourself are engaged in the reproduction of mushrooms, then they need to be dried properly. This can be done in the oven at a temperature not exceeding forty degrees. After drying, the mushrooms need to be ground in a coffee grinder. Store such a powder for up to two years at a temperature corresponding to room temperature.

medicinal tea

You will need:

• shiitake powder - a teaspoon;
• water - mug.

Pour the mushroom powder with hot (not higher than fifty degrees) water. Let it brew a little, and the tea will be ready.

Application methods

1. With diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. A mug of tea in the morning and evening on an empty stomach. The course lasts four months.
2. With diseases of the liver, pancreas. Drink a cup of tea three times a day before meals for three months.
3. With diseases of the bladder, kidneys and gynecological pathologies. A mug of tea once a day before meals for three months.
4. With multiple sclerosis. Take a cup of tea twice a day (after waking up in the morning and before going to bed in the evening) on ​​an empty stomach. The course lasts four months.
5. With atherosclerosis. A cup of tea once a day on an empty stomach for eight weeks.
6. With arterial hypertension, post-infarction and post-stroke condition. A mug of tea twice a day on an empty stomach for two months.
7. With epilepsy, neurological and mental diseases. A mug of tea a day for twelve weeks.
8. With scleroderma, lupus erythematosus, herpes, blood and lymph diseases. Drink a cup of tea three times a day on an empty stomach. The duration of treatment is three months.

Shiitake decoction for boosting immunity, preventing and treating cancer, colds and diabetes

You will need:

• water - mug.

Pour the mushroom powder with boiled water in an enamel bowl and simmer over low heat for forty minutes. Drink half a cup (or a third) three times a day half an hour before meals. Treatment lasts from six months to a year. Every month you need a two-week break.

Vodka tincture

This remedy is used for various diseases.

You need to take:

• mushroom powder - fifty grams;
• vodka - seven hundred and fifty milliliters.

Put the glass vessel filled with vodka powder in the refrigerator. Four weeks later, move to a dark place and shake daily. Strain before taking.

To strengthen the immune system, prevent colds and tumors

Tincture drink a tablespoon three times a day on an empty stomach. After half an hour you can eat. The course is four weeks. After that, a break for fourteen days. The duration of the entire treatment is from six to twelve months.

For the prevention of arterial hypertension

Norm: a teaspoon of tincture in the morning and evening. Take forty minutes before breakfast or dinner. The course is a month. After a two-week break, you can repeat.

Hypertension can lead to stroke and heart attack. Shiitake prevents these problems from occurring. It not only relieves the symptoms of hypertension, but also eliminates its cause: insufficient capillary circulation.

With oncological diseases

Shiitake tincture can be used as a means for the prevention and treatment of cancer. They drink it one tablespoon forty minutes before a meal three times a day.

It must be remembered that there is no single miraculous remedy for such a terrible disease as cancer. Treatment of oncological diseases should be carried out comprehensively under the supervision of a physician. Before using shiitake, you should consult a specialist.

Water infusion of shiitake for boosting immunity, prevention and treatment of cancer, diabetes and hypertension

You will need:

• shiitake powder - ½ gram;
• water (boiling water) - a mug.

For eight hours, the powder poured with water is infused in a closed glass vessel. The finished infusion is mixed and drunk before each meal (half an hour) in a teaspoon. The course lasts a month. You can repeat it more than once, but after each course you need a rest from the remedy: a week. The general admission cycle is six months or a year.

Oil tincture for the prevention and treatment of multiple sclerosis

Have to take:

• shiitake powder - 20 g;
• linseed oil - half a liter;
• thyme (herb) - a tablespoon.

Pour the powder into oil heated to thirty-seven degrees (it is better to heat not in a saucepan, but in a water bath). Put in a warm place to cool down. Pour into a glass jar and leave to be stored in the refrigerator for fourteen days. After straining, take two teaspoons in the morning and evening: forty minutes before breakfast and dinner. The course is a month. The total duration of treatment is a year. After each course, a week or two-week break is required. To enhance the beneficial effect of the oil tincture in the treatment of multiple sclerosis, take calcium in the form of a vitamin supplement.

Today you can buy ready-made preparations from shiitake: powder in a bag, capsules with powder, mixtures for dissolving in water, candles, creams, alcohol and oil tinctures. Despite the abundance of products that bear the name "shiitake", you need to beware of fakes. Fraudsters take advantage of the popularity of the product and profit from people's trust. Therefore, it is strongly recommended to purchase mushrooms only from trusted suppliers or grow them yourself.

The use of shiitake in cosmetology

When using the fungus as part of cosmetics, the skin acquires elasticity, wrinkles are smoothed out, and the fat balance is normalized.

Skin lotion

Have to take:

• shiitake powder - two teaspoons;
• vodka - half a mug;
• water is the same.

Infuse for ten days in a place inaccessible to light. After filtering, pour a little tincture into the bowl, moisten a cotton pad with it and wipe your face. This must be done in the morning and evening. Lips and eyelids are not affected.

Shiitake is found in creams, masks and skin lotions that smooth wrinkles, improve complexion, nourish and moisturize the skin, making it smooth and silky.

Nourishing face mask

Required:

• fresh mushrooms - one hundred grams;
• vodka - two hundred and fifty milligrams.

Mushrooms are cleaned, washed and cut into small pieces. Fill with vodka. Keep seven days in a cool and dark place. Before applying the mask, the face is cleansed with tonic and steamed. A napkin or gauze is lowered into the tincture, squeezed lightly and applied to the face for fifteen minutes. After that, the napkin is removed and the face is washed with cool water.

Mask for getting rid of wrinkles

You will need:

• cottage cheese - two tablespoons;
• carrot juice - one tablespoon.

Mix the cottage cheese rubbed through a strainer with other ingredients. Apply the mask for fifteen minutes, then rinse with warm water.

Moisturizing mask

Have to take:

• shiitake powder - two tablespoons;
• olive oil - one teaspoon;
• cucumber (chopped on a grater) - two tablespoons.

Combine everything and mix well. Apply to cleansed skin. Remove after twenty minutes with a cotton pad dipped in parsley infusion. After that, wash with warm mineral water without gas.

Day Moisturizer

The following ingredients are required:

• mushroom oil tincture - two tablespoons;
• butter - the same amount;
• camphor alcohol - half of such a spoon;
• castor oil - two teaspoons;
• infusion of pharmaceutical chamomile - half a circle.

First you need to prepare an infusion of chamomile. Pour boiling water (half a cup) over a handful of flower baskets. When the herb is infused after two hours, strain.

After melting the oil in a water bath, throw in it all the other ingredients, except camphor alcohol. It needs to be entered only after three minutes, when you remove the thickened mass from the stove.

The cream is applied after waking up on the skin of the face and neck.

Night Moisturizer

Have to take:

• egg yolk;
• mushroom oil tincture - two tablespoons;
• mountain ash (crushed and mashed fruits) - one tablespoon;
• butter - one tablespoon;
• honey (any) - a teaspoon.

Parts of the composition must be thoroughly rubbed. Apply in the evening two hours before going to bed.

Cream for dry skin

You will need:

• butter - half a tablespoon;
• honey - one teaspoon;
• mushroom oil tincture - one and a half teaspoons;
• glycerin - one and a half teaspoons;
• egg yolk.

Add mushroom tincture to melted butter. Sweat another two or three minutes. Then add glycerin and yolk mashed with honey. Mix the composition gently, while whisking lightly. Apply to clean skin of the face and neck in the evening, preferably two hours before bedtime.

All creams after preparation are placed in a cleanly washed and wiped dry container. Store on the shelf of the refrigerator for five to seven days.

Hair conditioner

After each shampoo, mix a small amount of shiitake tincture or decoction with water and rinse your hair with it.

For weight loss

The use of shiitake helps to burn excess fat, normalize carbohydrate metabolism, improve digestion and cleanse the body of toxins.

Have to take:

Take a porcelain vessel, pour the powder into it and fill it with alcohol. Keep two or three minutes in a water bath, then let cool. Store the closed jar in a cool place for two weeks, shaking daily. Strain the finished tincture, squeeze out the rest and drink a teaspoon three times a day on an empty stomach. The course of treatment is two months. Take a week break between them.

Contraindications for use

Contraindications are:

• bronchial asthma;
• individual intolerance to the components of the fungus;
• pregnancy;
• lactation;
• up to the age of fourteen.

Shiitake is a tree mushroom native to East Asia. It grows in Korea, Japan and China. Since ancient times, Asians have noted its healing properties and actively used shiitake mushrooms in folk medicine. In Japan, shiitake is mentioned in writing in medical treatises as early as 200 AD, it even received the proud names “imperial mushroom”, “mushroom of the sleeping Buddha”. But in the West, these mushrooms became known only in the 20th century. In domestic folk medicine, it is compared with ginseng in terms of the degree of beneficial effects.

The main secret of the healing properties of shiitake mushrooms is the substance lentinan contained in them. It helps to regenerate and rejuvenate tissues. On its basis, many medicinal and cosmetic products are now made. For internal use, shiitake tincture has the greatest effect.

Phytonutrients, which, in addition to beneficial amino acids and trace elements, are found in shiitake, have a beneficial effect on the human immune system, stimulating the production of interferons - antiviral particles. The beneficial properties of mushrooms and methods of treating various diseases with their help are being studied today even by a separate area of ​​alternative medicine - fungotherapy.

Shiitake are very unpretentious, they are easy to grow in the middle lane, even at home it will not be difficult. Mushrooms can grow on logs, sawdust, straw; during the fruiting season, up to 3 crop waves can be harvested from a home plantation.

Shiitake powder is used to make the tincture.

How to prepare shiitake tincture?

In folk medicine, two recipes for the tincture of these amazing mushrooms are firmly entrenched - shiitake mushroom tincture can be alcohol and oil. When treating with tincture, you can take any medications in parallel, if necessary. The only exceptions are the medicinal infusion of aconite and aspirin. The fact is that the chemical elements in the composition of the fungus are a kind of catalyst for the immune system, helping the body absorb medicinal substances better and more efficiently. A particularly high concentration of trace elements of a similar action is concentrated in the stem of the fungus. In Eastern folk medicine, this property of shiitake has long been known, therefore, from ancient times, a decoction of shiitake legs was added to various herbal medicinal preparations, which enhanced their benefits.

Contraindications for taking shiitake tincture:

• pregnancy;
• lactation;
• children's age up to 5 years;
• asthma;
• allergy to the components of the tincture.

When choosing mushrooms for making tinctures, it is better to give preference to those that were grown at home - in Japan or China. The fact is that, unlike shiitake grown on US farms on an industrial scale, these mushrooms are not selected and are most consistent in composition with what was originally laid down in them by nature. The same situation is with the choice of mycelium, if you decide to grow medicinal mushrooms yourself. If you dry mushrooms yourself, then you should know that it is best to dry them in the sun, but if you do not have such an opportunity, then the temperature for drying should not exceed 40 ° C. Dried mushrooms are ground and can be stored at room temperature for 2 years.

Shiitake is able to normalize blood sugar levels, stabilize blood pressure. Here, for example, is a recipe for a tincture for the prevention of hypertension.

For 6-7 teaspoons (equivalent to 10 g) of ground shiitake powder, you will need half a liter of a 40-degree spirit drink (vodka or cognac will do). The liquid is mixed with mushroom powder and infused in a dark, cold place for about two weeks. After that, the infusion should be filtered, the precipitate should be squeezed out and removed.

Instructions for use: take the resulting tincture one teaspoonful 40 minutes before breakfast and at bedtime. After a month of taking, it is better to take a two-week break, then you can resume taking it.

Shiitake and oncology

Shiitake tincture can be used to prevent cancer. After the age of 40, the activity of an enzyme called perforin decreases in the human body, the function of which is to identify unhealthy cells that are prone to mutation (it is a cellular mutation that is the basis of any oncological disease). Perforin destroys them by penetrating into the cytoplasm of the diseased cell. The trace elements that make up shiitake work as powerful immunostimulants. Therefore, they can be used to restore the activity of perforin.

In Chinese medicine, the antitumor effect of shiitake mushrooms was discovered as early as the fourteenth century. But officially the fact that mushrooms can significantly slow down the growth of a cancerous tumor was recognized only in 1981 at the Congress of the Hungarian Society of Microbiologists. In 1969, the Japanese scientist Tetsuro Ikekawa identified the polysaccharide lentinan, which stops tumor growth. At the moment, shiitake is the most potent of the herbal remedies in service with modern medicine to combat oncology. Also, after a series of studies conducted by fungotherapists, it became known that shiitake infusion reduces side effects during radiation and chemotherapy, if taken in parallel with the traditional treatment of oncological diseases. Successes are seen even in the second and third stages of cancer.

To prepare a medicinal infusion for the prevention of oncology, you will need the same alcohol with a strength of 40 °. For 0.75 liters of cognac or vodka, there are approximately 50 g of dried mushroom powder. Mix, pour into a sealed glass dish and refrigerate for 2 weeks. The tincture should be shaken daily during these 2 weeks. Take 1 tablespoon three times a day 40 minutes before meals.

Shiitake mushroom powder is also used in the preparation of infusion from oncology.

Use of shiitake tincture in multiple sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis is a disease of the nervous system that affects the brain and spinal cord. The cause of this disease is immune disorders. Doctors attribute their behavior to genetic disorders, severe stress, or a lack of vitamin D in the body - the exact reasons may be different. But as a result, the cells of the immune system, instead of fighting foreign bodies in the blood, begin to destroy the sheath of nerve fibers, as a result of which their tissue is replaced by connective tissue. The impulse passing through the nerve fiber gets stuck in the area of ​​the connective tissue, the signal conduction is disturbed - as a result, the patient's reaction to external stimuli decreases, coordination and motor skills deteriorate, and many other unpleasant symptoms of a neurological disorder appear.

Multiple sclerosis does not correspond to senile sclerosis - these are 2 different diseases.

Multiple sclerosis tends to affect people between the ages of 15 and 40, and in some cases, manifestations of multiple sclerosis have been recorded in children as young as 2 years old.

But not everything is so hopeless! Multiple sclerosis is quite treatable - nerve fibers recover over time. In order to help them recover, return the activity of immune cells to normal and extinguish inflammation in the area of ​​​​nerve endings, a medicinal infusion of shiitake mushrooms is perfect. If you take it regularly, then the effectiveness of the regenerative processes of nerve endings increases up to 45%.

Instructions for making shiitake mushroom tincture. For this you will need:

• 0.5 l of linseed oil;
• 20 g of shiitake powder;
• thyme herb (may soften the taste, used as desired).

Flaxseed oil must be heated in a water bath to a temperature of 37 ° C. Then mushrooms and, if desired, thyme are added to the oil. The container with the future tincture should cool in the heat (for example, by the battery). Then move the cooled container to the refrigerator and leave for 2 weeks.

Take 2 teaspoons in the morning on an empty stomach 40 minutes before meals and in the evening before bed. After a month of taking it is worth taking a break of 2 weeks. You can take it this way for up to a year. When using a tincture to prevent or treat multiple sclerosis, add more calcium to your diet or take it alone as a vitamin to increase its benefits.